126 lines
5.1 KiB
Markdown
126 lines
5.1 KiB
Markdown
# Movement & Transportation Freedom
|
|
|
|
!!! quote "Traffic Wisdom"
|
|
"Nothing says freedom like being stuck in traffic with 10,000 of our closest individually-liberated neighbors"
|
|
|
|
[Call Devin Dreeshen, Minister of Transportation and Economic Corridors](tel:7804272080){ .md-button }
|
|
[Email Minister of Transportation](https://influence.freealberta.org/campaign/transport-reform){ .md-button }
|
|
|
|
[Call Dan Williams, Minister of Municipal Affairs](tel:7804273744){ .md-button }
|
|
[Email Minister of Municipal Affairs](https://influence.freealberta.org/campaign/municipal-transit){ .md-button }
|
|
|
|
## Why Should Transportation Be Free?
|
|
|
|
Because somehow we decided that our right to move around should depend on our ability to afford a $70,000 pickup truck. Revolutionary concept: maybe getting to work shouldn't require a small mortgage on wheels?
|
|
|
|
### Our Current "Freedom" System
|
|
|
|
!!! example "The Alberta Transportation Experience"
|
|
1. We buy expensive vehicles
|
|
2. We pay expensive insurance
|
|
3. We pay expensive gas
|
|
4. We pay expensive parking
|
|
5. We sit in expensive traffic
|
|
6. We repeat until broke
|
|
7. We question our life choices
|
|
|
|
## What Real Transportation Freedom Looks Like
|
|
|
|
- Frequent public transit (more often than leap years)
|
|
- Reliable bus service (yes, even in our winters)
|
|
- Light rail that actually goes places (not just downtown)
|
|
- Protected bike lanes (without getting coal-rolled)
|
|
- Walkable communities (shocking: we have legs for a reason)
|
|
- Regional rail connections (Edmonton to Calgary in 2 hours, anyone?)
|
|
|
|
### But What About Our Trucks?!
|
|
|
|
!!! info "Plot Twist"
|
|
Nobody's coming for our F-150s. We're just suggesting that maybe, just maybe, they shouldn't be our only way to get to Costco. Wild, we know.
|
|
|
|
## The Economic Freedom Argument
|
|
|
|
When our public transit is free and effective:
|
|
- We save thousands on vehicle costs
|
|
- Our cities spend less on road maintenance
|
|
- Our air quality improves
|
|
- Our parking lots can become actual useful spaces
|
|
- Our downtown isn't just one giant parking garage
|
|
|
|
### What We're Missing
|
|
|
|
- 24/7 transit service
|
|
- Transit priority lanes
|
|
- High-speed rail between our cities
|
|
- Winter-friendly pedestrian areas
|
|
- Bike share programs that work in -30°C
|
|
- Transportation planning that doesn't assume we all own monster trucks
|
|
|
|
!!! tip "Pro Freedom Tip"
|
|
If we think free public transit is communist, let's consider how much of our taxes go to maintaining roads for Amazon delivery trucks.
|
|
|
|
## The Real Cost of Our Car Dependency
|
|
|
|
Our "freedom machines" cost us:
|
|
- $700/month in payments
|
|
- $200/month in insurance
|
|
- $400/month in gas
|
|
- $300/month in maintenance
|
|
- Our firstborn's college fund in parking
|
|
- Our sanity in traffic
|
|
|
|
### The Better Way
|
|
|
|
Imagine if we had a world where:
|
|
- We could read during our commute
|
|
- We didn't have to be personal mechanics
|
|
- Winter didn't mean bankruptcy via repairs
|
|
- Our kids could get places without us being their chauffeurs
|
|
- We could have a few drinks without needing a mortgage-sized Uber ride home
|
|
|
|
!!! warning "Reality Check"
|
|
Our freedom to choose between different colored trucks isn't actually freedom - it's just expensive isolation on wheels.
|
|
|
|
## The Bottom Line
|
|
|
|
Transportation freedom means having the ability to move around our community without sacrificing our financial future. It means understanding that a mobile population is a productive population (and a less angry one too).
|
|
|
|
!!! note "Let's Get Moving"
|
|
Ready to roll toward real freedom? Let's share this with our fellow Albertans - especially those who think adding another lane will finally fix our traffic (spoiler: it won't).
|
|
|
|
---
|
|
|
|
## Sources & Evidence
|
|
|
|
### Low-Income Transit Funding Crisis
|
|
|
|
- In 2024, the provincial government **cut funding for low-income transit passes** in Calgary and Edmonton
|
|
- After public outcry, the cuts were **reversed** - showing that advocacy works
|
|
- Calgary's low-income transit program serves **119,000+ qualified users**
|
|
- Edmonton's program serves **25,000+ monthly users**
|
|
- Source: [CBC News - Alberta transit funding cuts](https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/alberta-low-income-transit-1.7089234)
|
|
- Source: [Calgary Transit Low Income Pass](https://www.calgarytransit.com/)
|
|
|
|
### Rural Transportation Gap
|
|
|
|
- Rural communities have **virtually no public transit options**
|
|
- Transit investment has prioritized highways over public transportation
|
|
- Rural Albertans depend entirely on private vehicles
|
|
- Source: [Rural Municipalities of Alberta](https://www.rmalberta.com/)
|
|
|
|
### Transit Fare Increases
|
|
|
|
- Transit fares are increasing in both Calgary and Edmonton for 2025-2026
|
|
- Fares rising while service levels stagnate in many areas
|
|
- Low-income households face disproportionate burden
|
|
- Source: [City of Calgary - Transit Budget](https://www.calgary.ca/)
|
|
- Source: [City of Edmonton - Transit Plans](https://www.edmonton.ca/)
|
|
|
|
### Alternatives to Car Dependency
|
|
|
|
- High-speed rail between Edmonton and Calgary has been studied but not implemented
|
|
- Investment in cycling infrastructure remains minimal
|
|
- Winter-ready pedestrian infrastructure lacking in most cities
|
|
- Source: [Alberta Transportation](https://www.alberta.ca/transportation)
|
|
|
|
 |